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The Knights have arguably THE biggest game of their season to date this weekend when they travel to Cambourne to face the Cornish Pirates on Sunday (2pm). The narrow loss at Bedford followed by the last gasp draw against London Welsh in their last two league games have upped the ante on this game considerably; and with Coventry and Leeds as their next two opponents, it’s not inconceivable that the whole season couldbe defined by the outcome in the West Country.
The Knights beat Rosslyn Park 62-7 in the EDF Energy National Trophy last week with many fringe first team players putting on a superb show, giving director of rugby Clive Griffiths plenty to think when it comes to team selection.
Griffiths said: "I've got a big problem now because so many of the squad are playing well. The Pirates are a strong team so it's good that I've got so many players hitting form at the right time - but it's going to be hard to pick the team." Man of the match against Rosslyn Park was Wes Davies who chipped in with two tries as well as bossing the game throughout.
Griffiths added: "He was an ever present in the side until he got injured and then the team won ten games in a row and I didn't want to change a winning side. He's a very versatile player – he'll play anywhere and as long as he's in the team he's happy. We know what the Pirates can do and Wes joined us from them last summer so thee is plenty at stake for him. I understand that the conditions down there are pretty bad at the moment with heavy mud so we'll have to take that into account in selection and game plan, but our preparation will be largely the same as it always is."
Griffiths has John Cannon, Anthony Carter, Luke Gross and Ben Phillips back in contention but will not select his team until the last moment. An enlarged squad is traveling down by road this time and will train Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. When pitch and weather conditions are clearer, a XV for the task in hand will be given the job of getting a result that would make the Division sit up and take notice. The Pirates have only lost once at home this season, to local rivals Plymouth Albion, although Leeds Tykes did come away with a draw.
The importance of the game was highlighted by the appointment of Premiership full time referee David Rose to the match; and bookmakers Betfred are calling this the closest match of the weekend giving the Knights a minimum 3 point handicap.
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